Minnesota State's Nina Tikkinen is a Scholar-Athlete for the third time

MADISON, Wis. – The Western Collegiate Hockey Association, through Commissioner Bruce M. McLeod, Associate Commissioner Sara R. Martin, University of Alaska Anchorage Faculty Representative Steve Strom (Chair, men's league) and University of North Dakota Faculty Representative Sue Jeno (Chair, women's league) today (Feb. 10, 2010) announced that a total of 90 men's and women's student-athletes make up the sixth annual group of WCHA Scholar-Athlete Award recipients. Over the first six years of the award, there have now been 414 honorees representing all 12 men's member and all eight women's member institutions. The previous record for honorees in one season was 80 in 2009-10.

The prestigious WCHA Scholar-Athlete Award was developed through Association member team Faculty Representatives and approved by the conference membership beginning with the 2005-06 season. To earn recognition as a WCHA Scholar-Athlete, conference-member student-athletes must have completed at least one year of residency at their present institution prior to the current academic year and must also have a grade-point average of at least 3.50 on a 4.0 scale for the previous two semesters or three quarters, or may qualify if his or her overall GPA is at least 3.50 for all terms at his or her present institution.

"The Western Collegiate Hockey Association is both thrilled and exceptionally proud to announce this group of men's and women's WCHA Scholar-Athletes for the 2010-11 season," said WCHA Commissioner Bruce M. McLeod, Associate Commissioner Sara R. Martin, University of Alaska Anchorage Faculty Representative Steve Strom (Chair, men's league) and University of North Dakota Faculty Representative Sue Jeno (Chair – women's league) in a joint statement.

"This annual announcement of our Scholar-Athletes has become one of the highlights for the entire Western Collegiate Hockey Association family of student-athletes, coaches and administrators and gives us an opportunity to showcase the fact that along with being great athletes on the ice, these honorees are truly exceptional students off the ice. The rigorous classroom schedules they maintain, as well as their intense commitments to their sport, are most impressive and to be able to achieve what they have is inspiring to all of us. Together, they represent the very best in collegiate athletics."

Thirty (30) of this season's 90 men's and women's WCHA Scholar-Athletes are repeat honorees, including a fourt-time recipient and 11 three-time winners. Earning the distinguished honor for the fourth time is North Dakota's Chay Genoway (2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11), who becomes only the third student-athlete to do so. The two other four-time recipients have been Scott McCulloch of Colorado College (2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09) and Jenna Hewitt of Minnesota State (2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10).

In the inaugural season of the WCHA Scholar-Athlete award, 2005-06, there were a total of 47 men's and women's honorees. In 2006-07, there were 49 honorees and in 2007-08 there were 79 men's and women's honorees. In 2008-09 there were 71 total honorees and in 2009-10 there were 80 men's and women's recipients.

This season's group of WCHA Scholar-Athletes will be recognized and publicly honored on-ice with a commemorative plaque at respective member-team home games.

Following is the complete list of men's and women's WCHA Scholar-Athletes for 2010-11, by member institution.